Motor operated rotary positioning system



July 17, 1956 J. H. REID 2,755,425

MOTOR OPERATED ROTARY POSITIONING SYSTEM Filed May 10. 1953 ROTARY SWIT ACT OR INVENTOR. JAMES H. RE/D g WPw A T TORNE YS- nite States Patent MOTOR OPERATED ROTARY POSITIONING SYSTEM James H. Reid, Maywood, N. J., assignor to Allen B.

Du Mont Laboratories, Ina, Clifton, N. 3., a corporation of Delaware Application March 10, 1953, Serial No. 341,552

6 Claims. (Cl. 318-467) The present invention relates to electrical apparatus and more particularly to electrical apparatus of a servomechanism type.

It is an object of the invention to provide an electrical apparatus of the servomechanism type which does not require the use of phased power.

It is another object to provide an inexpensive and simple electrical apparatus of the servomechanism type which is operable from a low voltage direct current power source.

Still another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive elecrical apparatus for direction positioning of a television antenna or the like.

These and other objects are attained in accordance with my invention by providing electrical apparatus comprising a pair of multiposition gang switches, one of which is manually operable or the equivalent while the other is motor operated in response to positioning of the manually operated switch.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the drawing in which the single figure thereof is a diagrammatic representation of an electrical apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring now to the drawing there is illustrated an electrical apparatus comprising a rotary switch actuator or motor 2 which is interconnected with each of three switches 4, 6 and 8 of one gang switch by a shaft, not showing but represented by the dotted line 10. Each of the switches 4, 6 and 8 comprises a stationary terminal plate of insulative material, not shown, carrying a plurality of circumferentially disposed contact terminals which for purposes of illustration are evenly numbered consecutively from 12 through 34 in a clockwise direction and carry the subscript a, b and 0, respectively, in the switches 4, 6 and 8. Mounted on the shaft for rotation within the terminal plate of each of the switches 4, 6 and 8, respectively, is a rotor 36a, 36b and 36c, having an electrical conducting portion 37a, 37b and 370, respectively, and a radially extending projection 38a, 38b and 38c, respectively. With this arrangement the projections 38a, 38b and 380 engage each of the respective contacts of the switches 4, 6 and 8 as the rotors are rotated through 360.

A second gang switch is manually operable by a turning knob 40 secured to a shaft, not shown, but represented by the dotted line 42. The shaft interconnects three multi-position switches 44, 46 and 48 similar to switches 4, 6 and 8. Each of these switches likewise comprises a stationary terminal plate of insulative material, not shown, carrying a plurality of circumferentially disposed contact terminals which for purposes of illustration are evenly numbered consecutively from 50 through 72 in a clockwise direction and carry the sub-script a, b and c. Mounted on the shaft for rotation within the terminal plate of the switches 44, 46 and 48 respectively is a rotor 74a, 74b and 740 having respectively a conducting position 76a, 76b and 76c with radial extending projections 78a, 78b and 780. As with switches 4, 6 and 8 the pro- 2,755,425 Patented July 17, 1956 jections 78a, 78b and 78c are adapted to engage each of the contacts of the switches 44, 46 and 48 as the shaft and rotors are rotated through 360.

A source of electrical power 80 has one terminal connected to ground and its other terminal connected through conductor 82 to contact terminals 720 of switch 48. Con ductors S4 and 86 respectively connect the source of power through conductor 82 to each of the contact terminals '72:: and 72b of switches 44 and 46.

A second source of electrical power 88 has one terminal connected to ground and its other terminal connected through conductor 90 to a two position switch contact 92 of a solenoid operated switch 93. Conductors 94 and 96 similarly connect the source of power 88 to two other two-position switch contact members 98 and 100 of solenoid operated switches 99 and 101, respectively, and to contact terminals 34b and 14a and 16a, respectively, of switches 4 and 6.

The solenoid coil 102 of switch 93 has one terminal connected to contacts 56c, 60c, 64c and 680 of switch 48 through conductor 104 and the other terminal of the coil is connected to ground. Solenoid switch 99 has one terminal of its coil 106 connected to contact terminals 60b, 62b, 64b and 66b of switch 46 through conductor 108 and the other terminal is connected to ground. The third solenoid switch 101 has one terminal of its coil 110 connected to contact terminals 56a, 58a, 60a and 62a of switch 44 through conductor 112 and the other terminal of the coil is connected to ground.

Switch 8 has its contact terminals 220, 26c and 300 connected through conductor 114 to a contact terminal 116 of the two-position switch member 92 and its contact terminals 200, 24c, 28c and 320 connected through conductor 118 to the other contact terminal 120 of the two-position switch member 92 of solenoid switch 93.

Switch 6 has its contact terminals 18b, 20b, 30b and 32b connected through conductor 122 to contact terminal 128 of the two-position switch member 98 and its contact terminals 22b, 24b, 26b, and 28b through conductor 126 to contact terminal 124 of the two-position switch member 98 of solenoid switch 99.

Switch 4 has its contact terminals 26a, 28a, 30a and 3212 connected through conductor 130 to contact terminal 136 of two-position switch member 100 and its contact terminals 18a, 20a, 22a and 24a connected through conductor 134 to contact terminal 132 of the two-position switch member 100 of solenoid switch 101.

The rotary switch actuator 2 has one terminal connected to ground and the other terminal connected through conductor 138 to contact terminal 34c of switch 8. Conductors 140 and 142 respectively connect the conductor 138 and rotary switch actuator 2 to contact terminals 16b and 34a of switches 6 and 4.

In operation the turning knob 40 is rotated until set at a desired position. If this is the first position then the rotors 74a, 74b and 740 of switches 44, 46 and 48 correspondingly turn until the projection 78a of rotor 74a engages the contact terminal 56a, the projection 78b of switch 46 will not be in engagement with the contact terminal and the projection 780 will engage contact terminal 56c. from source 80 is conducted through switch contacts 72a, 72b and 72c to the conductive portions 76a, 76b, 76c and projections 78a, 78b and 780 of the rotors of switches 44, 46, and 48. Further, power will be conducted through contact terminal 56a and conductor 112 to solenoid 101 and through contact terminal 560 and conductor 104 to solenoid 93. With power on the solenoids 93 and 101, switch members 92 and 100 are pulled counter-clockwise against a spring bias (not shown) to engage contact terminals 120 and 136. As no power is conducted from power source 80 to conductor 108 and solenoid 106 because there is no engagement of projection 78b of switch Power 46 with the corresponding contact terminal 561), solenoid 99 is not energized to cause engagement of switch member 98 with contact terminal 128. On the other hand, switch member 98 remains in engagement with contact 124.

With switches 44, '46 and 48 in the positions hereinabove described and solenoid switches 93 and 101 energized, source 88 is connected directly over leads 90 and 96 to contacts 14a and 16a of switch 4 and directly over lead 90 to contacts 121) and 34b of switch 6.

Also the source 88 is connected by way of lead 96, tongue 1%, contacts 136 of switch 191 and conductor 130 to switch contacts 26a, 28a, 30a and 3%; by way of leads 9%) and 94, tongue '93, contacts 12 of switch 99 and conductor 126 to contacts 22b, 24b, 26b and 28b of switch 6; and by way of lead 90, tongue 92, contact 120 of switch 92 and conductor 118 to contacts 29c, 24c, 28c and 320 of switch 8.

With the switches 4, 6 and 8 positioned as shown a circuit will be completed from contact 32a through contact 34a, conductor 142, conductor 138 and switch actuator 2 to ground. A parallel circuit will also be completed from contact 32; through projection 38c, and contact 340 to conductor 138.

Actuator 2 will be energized rotating switches 4, 6, 8, clockwise and positioning projections 38a, 38b and 38c on contacts 34a, 34b and 34c respectively. This results in completion of a circuit from contact 34]) through projection 385, contact 16b, conductor 140 to conductor 138 and to actuator 2. The actuator is maintained energized and the projections move to contacts 12a, 12b and 12c. Since contact 12b is in parallel with contact 34b the actuator continues energized and the projections move to contacts 14a, 14b and 14c.

At this time a circuit is completed from contact 14a to projection 38a thence through contact 34a and conductor 142 to the actuator which is thus continued ener- 'gized. The projections move to contacts 16a, 16b and 16c.

Contact 16a is connected in parallel with contact 140 and the situation thus is the same as above stated and the projections move to contacts 18a, 18b and 180.

Since none of these three contacts is connected to battery 88 the actuator stops positioning the switches and the controlled device 144 isin its first position.

If the next operation constitutes setting the object at, say, position 4, then control 40 is set to this position. This results in energization of solenoid switches 99 and 101. With these solenoid switches on their left hand contacts 128 and 136 respectively a circuit is completed over tongue 92 and contacts 116 of unoperated switch 93 to contact 180, through projection 38c, and the contact 340 to con' ductor 138 and through actuator 2 to ground. Switch actuator moves the projection 38a, 38b, 380 to contacts 20a, 20b and 20c respectively.

Contact 20b is connected to battery through contacts 128 of switch 94 and the switch actuator is maintained energized over contact 16b as is obvious and the switches 4, 6, 8 move to contacts 22a, 22b and 22c respectively.

Switch contact 220 is connected to battery at contacts 116 of switch 93 thus completing a circuit through contact 34a to the switch actuator'Z to maintain it energized, thereby causing projections 38a, 38b and 380 to move to contacts 24a, 24b and 24c respectively;

Since contact 24a is open at contact 132 of operated switch 101, contact 24b is open at contact 124 of operated switcli' 99and contact 24d is open at contact 120 of unoperate'd switch 120 the actuator is deenergized and the shaft and device 144 stop at the selected position.

Now'let' it be assumed that the device is to be set at position 2. The control 40 is rotated until projections 78a, 78b and 780 are positioned on contacts 58a, 58b and 580 respectively and switch liil alone is operated.

A circuit is completed through contact 2412 to energize actuator 2; The rotors of switches 4, 6 and S move to position the projections thereof, on contacts 26a, 26b and Circuits are completed through contacts Zen and 23b successively to cause the rotor projections to move to contacts 39a, 39b and 30a.

Now a circuit is completed over contact 136 of operated switch 1111 and contact 30a to continue the energization of actuator 2. This circuit is successively next over contact 32a so that the projections move to contacts 34a, 34b and 34c.

Since contacts 34b, 12b, 14a and 16a are connected directly to source 8-3 the actuator 2 remains energized in a manner heretofore described (in connection with operation to position 1) and projections 38a, 38b and 3550 move to contacts 18a, ihband respectively. 7

At this time contact 13c is connected to source 88 over contact 116 of unoperated switch 93 and the actuator thus moves the projections to contacts 2%, 20b and 20c.

Since contact 20a is disconnected from source 83 at contacts 132 of operated switch 101, 2% is disconnected at contact 123 of unoperated switch 99 and contact 200 is disconnected at contact 126 of unoperated switch 93 the rotor stops in the desired second position.

Circuits for others of the eight possible positions may readily be traced in a manner similar to those just above set forth.

it will be seen that with an electrical apparatus such as I have described having twelve terminal rotary switches, there will be eight predetermined selective positions of the actuator 2 which may be controlled by positioning the control shaft 42, the system utilizing a minimum of three wires (plus a ground connection) electrically connecting the control switch and the actuator switch.

It will be understood that with an electrical apparatus such as i have described the driven shaft 19 is adapted to rotate a driven device 144. While an eight position selective system has been shown, it will be appreciated that the invention will be adaptable for any desired number of selectable positions.

The arrangement is such that each of the rotary switches such as 4, 5 and 8 has its contacts divided into two equal groups, one switch having all contacts of each group connected together, a second switch having adjacent contacts connected together forming two sub-groups and the third switch having alternate contacts connected together.

The solenoid switches are so arranged that corresponding contacts thereof are connected to the first group of one switch; to the first sub-group of the first group and the second sub-group of the second group of the second switchyand to the even numbered alternate contacts of the first and second groups of the third switch. Similarly, the alternate corresponding contacts of the solenoid switches are connected to the second group of the first switch to the second sub-group or the first group and the first sub-group of the second group of the second switch; and to the odd numbered alternate contacts of the first and second groups of the third switch.

A study ofthe drawing will show that only the two groups of contacts above-mentioned are required. However, since. 12-contact switches were readily available such switches were utilized and, since these switches include a single rotor and a single series of fixed contacts cooperating therewith, it was necessary to provide the connections shown for contacts 34 i2, i4 and 16 in order to cause movement of the switch actuator from a position corresponding to contacts 32th) that corresponding to contacts 18.

The above has considered the results obtained when three solenoid switches and three rotary switches having 8 contacts are usedithearrang'ement may comprise diiterent numbers of sol'enoid switches corresponding to the number of rotary switches, each of the rotary switches having a number ot contacts related to the number of solenoid switches." As anexainple, four solenoid switches and four rotary switches be utilized in which case each rotary switch would have-sixteen contacts.

The general arrangement is that the rotary switches form a series, the contacts of each switch of the series being divided into two groups each of which comprises half the total number of contacts and each of which is connected to one of the contacts of a corresponding twoposition solenoid switch. In the first switch of the series each group comprises alternate contacts. In the last switch of the series each group comprises adjacent contacts and in intermediate switches of the series each group is divided into sub-groups of adjacent contacts the number of contacts in each such sub-group being equal to the corresponding term of a geometrical progression, the lowest term of which is one and the highest term of which is one-half the total number of contacts in the last switch of the series, or one-half the number of possible combinations of solenoid switch positions.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrically operated positioning system comprising a device to be selectively positioned among a plurality of predetermined positions, electrical driving means for positioning said device, a source of voltage, and a two-terminal switching mechanism, said terminals selectively connecting electrically said driving means to said source of voltage and having a plurality of sets of electrical contacts fixedly positioned in accordance with said predetermined positions and a single movable contact selectively connectable to said fixedly positioned contacts of each said set in accordance with the positioning of said device, said movable contacts being electrically connected to one said terminal of said switching mechanism, and means for electrically connecting said fixedly positioned contacts to the remaining said terminal in selective predetermined arrangements, each said arrangement providing an electrical path between said switch terminals through said contacts in all except one of said predetermined switch positions, whereby said driving means drives said device until the electrical connection thereto is broken.

2. An electrically operated rotary positioning system, comprising a device to be positioned at a selected one of a plurality of angular positions; driving means for rotating said device; a series of two-position switches to provide combinations of operated and unoperated positions equal to the desired number of angular positions of said device; a series of rotary switches each comprising a plurality of fixed contacts equal in number to the number of angular positions of said device and a rotary contact member adapted to make contact with the fixed contacts sequentially; the fixed contacts of each rotary switch being divided into two groups each containing half the total number of contacts, the contacts of each group in the first switch of the series comprising alternate contacts, the contacts of each group of the last switch of the series comprising adjacent contacts, the contacts of each group of the intermediate switches of the series being divided into sub-groups of adjacent contacts, the number of contacts in the sub-groups of the successive switches of the series being equal to the second to the nth terms of a geometric progression the first order of which is 1 and the nth order of which is half the number of rotary positions of said device; means connecting terminals associated with a first position of said two-position switches to contacts of the first group of the associated rotary switch; means connecting terminals associated with the corresponding second position of said two-position switches to the second con tact groups of corresponding switches, means for rotating said rotary contact members of said switches conjointly with said driving means and means energizing said driving means over circuits extending through said two-position and rotary switches whereby said device and said rotary switches will be rotated until the circuit for said driving means is broken at the contacts of all of said series oi. rotary switches.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that means are provided for energizing said two-position switches in all possible combinations.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said energizing means comprises a plurality of rotary switches equal in number to the number of said two-position switches, said rotary switches being controlled by a manually settable knob, all of said rotary switches being connected to said knob and being so related that for each position of said knob a particular combination of operated and unoperated two-position switches exists.

5. An electrically operated rotary positioning system comprising a device to be positioned at a selected one of eight angular positions; driving means for rotating said device; a series of three two-position solenoid switches energizable to provide eight combinations of operated and unoperated switch positions; a series of three rotary switches, each comprising eight fixed contacts and a rotary contact member adapted to make contact with the fixed contacts sequentially; means connecting alternate contacts of the first of said series of rotary switches together forming two groups; means connecting the contacts of one of said groups to the operated contact terminal of a corresponding one of said solenoid switches and the contacts of the second group to the unoperated contact of said first solenoid switch; means connecting the third through sixth contacts of the second of said series of rotary switches together and to the operated con tact of said second solenoid switch; means connecting the first, second, seventh and eighth contacts of said second rotary switch together and to the unoperated contact of said second rotary switch; means connecting the last four contacts of the third of said series of rotary switches together and to the operated contacts of the third of said solenoid switches; means connecting the first four contacts of said third rotary switch together and to the unoperated contact of said third solenoid switch; means supplying current to the tongue members of said solenoid switches; and means cooperating with the rotary contacts of said rotary switches for connecting said contacts to said driving means to complete a circuit therethrough whereby said driving means rotates said device and said rotary contact members continuously until the circuit to said driving means is broken at said rotary switch contacts, positioning said device in a selected position depending upon the combination of solenoid switches which has been operated.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that means are provided for energizing desired combinations of said solenoid switches, said means comprising a rotary switch having three contact banks of eight contacts each, each bank having a rotary contact member associated therewith, said rotary contact members being mounted on a common shaft, means supplying current to said rotary contact members and means connecting groups of said fixed contact members of said rotary switches to said solenoid switches whereby for each position of said rotary switches a particular combination of said three solenoid switches is energized.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,403,161 Yardeny July 2, 1946 2,406,848 Novak Sept. 3, 1946 2,436,068 Hegy Feb. 17, 1948 2,617,313 Schweighofer et a1 Nov. 11, 1952 2,656,497 Schweighofer et al. Oct. 20, 1953 2,676,289 Wulfsberg et al Apr. 20, 1954 

